Preparation of MCM-41 silica using the cationic surfactant blend

A series of samples of MCM-41 silica was synthesized using surfactant blends of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium and alkyltrimethylammonium salts or blends of two different 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium salts (alkyl denotes octyl or hexadecyl) as structure-directing agents. The precipitation of solid particles from a homogeneous water solution of sodium metasilicate and surfactant blend was achieved by lowering the pH due to the hydrolysis of ethyl acetate added. The molecular sieves were characterized by scanning as well as transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and nitrogen adsorption using a proper nonlocal density functional theory approach for calculations of the textural parameters. All the prepared silicas were of MCM-41-type; they differ in the integral breadth of the pore size distribution curve and the presence of secondary mesopores. The best quality MCM-41 silica of spherical particle morphology was synthesized by using of optimized blend of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride. The results obtained showed that spherical particles are composed of domains of perfectly ordered hexagonal porous structure. Some samples prepared by using 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium salts featured a narrow pore size distribution. However, they contained a small volume of secondary mesopores.